Everything seemed to be coming up Rivals III roses for teammates Cory and Ashley after a well-earned win on “Out on a Limb,” but on tonight’s Challenge episode, the former Real World: Ex-Plosion housemates may have just as quickly stunted their bloom.

The responsibility to vote two teams into a looming Jungle match -- one of which would face off against the day’s losers, Johnny and Jessica -- initially seemed like an easy one: Cory and Ashley would give a nod to Are You The One? duos Nelson/Amanda and Nate/Christina, and that would be that. But then, Ashley found herself in a screaming match with Simone and, very quickly, things changed.

After a late-night blowout, during which Ashley tore into Simone for starting rumors, Ashley demanded Cory reconsider one of the team’s two Jungle nominees and send Simone and Thomas into the elimination round instead. The problem? Thomas and Cory had been as thick as thieves, and though Cory was sympathetic to Ashley’s new enmity, he insisted there was no way he could turn his back on his good pal.

“Ashley wants me to put in Thomas and Simone,” Cory said. “We’re not gonna make a decision off of emotion.”

Until, of course, they did.

Yup, though Cory had told Thomas and Simone to rest easy and explicitly told Nate and Christina to prepare for The Jungle, Cory and Ashley wound up nominating Thomas and Simone into The Jungle. This, Cory noted, proved he was -- above all else -- loyal to Ashley. Sadly, Thomas didn’t see things the same way.

“The Number One person that would never vote me in voted me in today,” Thomas lamented. “It’s not looking too good right now.”

Thankfully for Cory, Thomas found himself on luck’s side, and he and Simone were spared from elimination when Nelson and Amanda pulled The Jungle’s black skull, securing their place opposite Johnny and Jessica in the “Weight for Me” elimination round. Still, Simone wasn’t satisfied and vowed to oust Ashley from the game. Further, she insisted Ashley and Cory’s turncoat move on Thomas was proof that they couldn’t be trusted and that the house would soon see them as duplicitous liars.

What do you think: Did Cory and Ashley’s last-minute vote make them into pariahs, and have they proved to be too untrustworthy to keep allies? Or did they make the right choice, and was a vote for Simone and Thomas necessary to assert themselves as a duo that won’t tolerate drama? Share your thoughts, and be sure to tune in to a new Rivals III episode next Wednesday at 10/9c!